Parent and Family Support of Knowledge Acquisition in Reading Comprehension through Podcasts in English and Spanish

Reading comprehension is the ultimate goal of learning to read, as the understanding of text is at the root of the purpose for reading, whether reading for pleasure or reading to learn. At-home reading practices can vary widely family to family -- some families have the knowledge and resources to read effectively with their children, while others have not been afforded the opportunity or knowledge to read with their children. The Advancing Comprehension and Engagement (ACE) Literacy Project is a free reading comprehension resource bringing the evidence-based Knowledge Acquisition & Transformation (KAT) Framework to families via podcast and video episodes in English and Spanish. The aim of the ACE Project is to help ameliorate access barriers to high-quality literacy resources for families by providing engaging, interactive episodes available on major platforms and accessible via cell phones, tablets, or computers. The present article describes the theoretical foundations underlying the ACE Project, details the methods used to develop ACE, describes the format followed in each episode, and discusses the pilot year of the project. Usage statistics are presented. Implications for the future of the ACE Project are discussed in light of initial data collection.